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Lantus
Lantus is the brand name for insulin glargine, an insulin analog made by Aventis. Lantus is a very long-acting insulin (lasting up to 24 hours in humans) that uses pH reactions to form micro-precipitates under the skin, which create a time-release action. Use in Cats Because of cats' faster metabolism, long-acting insulins like Lantus (and perhaps Levemir) are gaining a good reputation in veterinary research for regulating cats for a full 12 hours at a time, often better than some of their shorter-acting cousins. Proponents of Lantus in feline use point out that it lasts a full 12 hours or more even in cats, has a very gentle onset, a negligible peak, and (some claim) less chance of triggering hypo or rebound than faster-acting insulins. The famous Queensland University studies showed that a simple protocol (in a 24-hour monitored, veterinary environment) could bring many cats into remission in a few weeks. Detractors say that Lantus lasts too long and causes too much overlap in some cats, is difficult to time the next shot because its action often stops abruptly, and is too expensive, especially with its very fast expiry (28 days) and poor availability in smaller vial sizes than 10mL. The use of Lantus is still quite new in cats, and the collective wisdom on the best ways to do so is not yet congealed. People trying to use Lantus as they would a shorter-acting insulin are often frustrated when attempting to adjust dosages based on preshot blood glucose levels. Lantus may well be an excellent choice for diabetic cats once the correct usage methods are established. Use in Dogs Dogs, on the other hand, do not fare as well with Lantus. Using it for them means using the Lantus as a basal insulin with rapid or fast-acting insulins like Novolin R, Novolog or Humalog as bolus insulin, given at mealtimes. This is how insulin-dependent people use it too. Most dogs receive insulin injections twice a day. Using Lantus would at least double the number of needed daily injections because of the need for the faster-acting insulin at each meal. Dr. Rand, of Queensland Protocol fame, participated in another studyhttp://acvim.org/wwwfp/Forum/abstracts/AbstractsWeb.pdf, this time studying the effects of Lantus on dogs. The same 9 healthy dogs were tested with Lantus, beef/pork PZI and pork lente insulin. It was concluded that Lantus does not lower blood glucose reliably in dogs; 2 of the 9 failed to have any significant response at all. PZI was shown to significantly lower bg's with duration of action; pork lente insulin began working faster and worked longest of all. Usage and Handling Because of the pH action, Lantus is a bit more sensitive than other insulins -- it needs to have an (acidic) pH of 4 to work, and therefore may not be diluted, mixed with other insulins, or kept overnight in syringes. Lantus and another insulin may be used together in the same patient, but not from the same needle or at the same injection site. A vial of Lantus is only expected to work for 28 days, though some do last longer. It's often best for pet use to buy the smallest vials possible for this reason, which are 3ml insulin pen cartridgeshttp://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic2/lantus_pi.htm. Unfortunately these cartridges may be hard to come by in your area. Studies: Lantus in Cats *Latest Queensland U. article on Lantus in cats *Tufts U. compares Lantus with Lente insulin *Auburn U. compares Lantus, Lente, and Caninsulin/Vetsulin *Original Queensland U. Article on Lantus in cats *Queensland U. compares Lantus with Lente and PZI *Case study on Bruiser, a cat who achieved remission in 3 weeks on Lantus Studies: Lantus in Dogs *Queensland Study on Lantus in Dogs Medical and Vet information about Lantus *Medical Info sheet *Wendy Brooks, DVM on how Lantus may be good for cats *Initial studies on Glargine including dog trials Category:Insulins Category:Analogs Category:long-acting Category:Aventis